Key delivers a Christmas kicking for workers

We always said that a National/ACT government would be anti-worker but I’m surprised by how blatant they are being about it. In a series of hasty, secretive laws, they’ve put up taxes on workers, cut their Kiwisaver, and removed their work rights for the first 90 days of employment. Now, they have officially dropped the goal of full employment.

The Government’s Policy Targets Agreement with the Reserve Bank contains a statement of the Government’s economic policy. Formerly it read:

The objective of the Government’s economic policy is to promote sustainable and balanced economic development in order to create full employment, higher real incomes and a more equitable distribution of incomes. Price stability plays an important part in supporting the achievement of wider economic and social objectives.

The Government’s economic objective is to promote a growing, open and competitive economy as the best means of delivering permanently higher incomes and living standards for New Zealanders. Price stability plays an important part in supporting this objective.

Spot what’s missing? Yup. National/ACT has removed the commitment to full employment and equitable distribution of income. With their tax increases for middle incomes and tax cuts for the rich, removal of work rights, and scrapping of job-intensive investment in home insulation, they have already started on a path that will see the rich get richer while the rest of us get poorer and unemployment goes up. Expect them to do worse in the coming years. Merry Christmas.

52 comments on “Key delivers a Christmas kicking for workers”

Diddums – we won you lost, now we have to deal with the mess Cullen left us with. Equitable sucks, why should hard workers, entrupaneurs be as well off as the lazy bums? Full employment is a Utoipian idea, unless of course we get work for the dole in again, then we can say they are working:)

Is that the royal variety or is we now “The Standard” which no-one is allowed to address on pain of summary eviction?

…….oh and your post is the usual bombastic cak we’ve come to expect.

I for one am quite happy with the government’s statement, remember though it’s just a statement and is as meaningfull/less as any broad statement that issues out of Wellington.

[lprent: You know the answer for that. No-one speaks on my behalf except with prior agreement. The only people who can presume on my behalf are some family (amazing how that conditioning sticks) and Lyn. You can assume that whatever you’re talking about doesn’t have TS connection unless it is in the About or Policy]

Peter J. We’ve had full employment for the last four years. In a modern economy, where there is always some ‘churn’ from jobs appearing an disappearing, the economists regard full employment as 3-3.5%.

And Peter J -equitable means ‘fair’, not ‘equal’. Fairness sucks?

Peter B. What are you talking about? What blame game? I am criticising National/ACT for the policy choices they have made. They are their choices, there are other options, they are responsible for the consequences of their choices.

HS. You used to be able to put together arguments. Why don’t you explain why my post is ‘cak’ rather than throwing your own around? Why don’t you explan why you think the statement is good?

There is more than one writer on The Standard. More than one of us warned of the intentions of National/ACT towards workers… hence ‘we’.. but continue focusing on the irrevelent, HS. It shows us all the depths of your thinking.

HS – You’re capable of better than that – but when debating things you know nothing about (i.e. anything outside of health) you tend to start being a disingenuous dick-head. Perhaps you should consider limiting your comments to health-related issues?

First, full employment as you note, means different things to different people. All the more reason for getting rid of something that is not defined clearly so how can it be measured. More so, it is clearly going to be unachievable (however you measure it) over the next couple of years.

Second, again define “equitable”. More feel good nonsense which is impossible to measure. We still have progressive taxation. We still have transfer of wealth from within our society.

Third, a bit of accuracy with your spin would be useful. The 90 day act has NOT removed rights for ALL workers. What percentage will it actually affect? 20% 30% maximum.

Finally, HS has a valid point about the collective views of this blog. LP is adament that criticisms cannot be levelled against the “machine”. It’s therefore a bit rich to then claim a collective wisdom from the posters when this line of attack is met with a very strong response. Minor point but one that has been consistently made by LP.

I read from the post that they have no intention in having as many people as possible in work. (More unemployed more to push down wages certainly no to minimum wage.) I infer also that a competitive environment is expected to lead to growth, and perhaps a “trickle down” effect. All of the above saddens me. It reads as though the centerist image of the Election campaign, is really much more rightist, but of course “they” have a mandate. They said so. After years of narrowing the gap between rich and poor I expect the gap will widen.

If the new rules are to not comment on anything outside one’s area of expertise people such as yourself and sprout would only be able to offer views on their own efforts of frantic masturbation in front of a computer screen.

Look all I am saying nobody could foresee the economic downturn. The bubble had to burst some day and National have inherited a recession ( job cuts) heading into a possible depression if the huge number of Yanks living in cars is anything to go by.

llew, good point and I was hoping that someone spotted the contradiction. Lets just say that nobody was not the right word as a selective few (including myself) knew full well that the economic crisis was looming and took the appropriate measures well in advance of what is an increasingly dark economic forecast.

HS – i have a first-class honours degree in political studies, have tutored a paper which focussed on the affects of the mass-media on politics, have researched NZ’s energy sector extensively, and have a masters degree (the focus was the political economy of New Zealand’s labour market). That’s why why i comment a lot – i have a broad set of political interests.

You on the other hand purport to be a medical doctor, and seem to know sweet FA about anything outside of health.

My job is pretty safe, I think. I’m in the media. And being in the media, I know that there weren’t a `selective few’ who knew things were going to hurt – there’s been more ink expended in the past decade on the impending crash than on any issue other than the War on Terror.

Roger nome, you mentioned a qualification or skills re political economy. Serious question, could you tell me what the term means and with, possibly, several good illustrations.. from kiwi or elsewhere. Thanks in advance..

gee, can’t believe the coincidence: capcha came up with a word which appeared in a dialogue I just viewed.. where the character says I don’t know about Alhambra.. London yes, Alhambra no!

“HS – i have a first-class honours degree in political studies, have tutored a paper which focussed on the affects of the mass-media on politics, have researched NZ’s energy sector extensively, and have a masters degree (the focus was the political economy of New Zealand’s labour market). That’s why why i comment a lot – i have a broad set of political interests.”

Do you want a parade or is a simple plaque outside your local library enough for you?

Get over yourself, we all have interests, education and life experience. If you think yourself so fine, then go stand for public office; otherwise be humble and take people as they are. At the end of the day it is only a left leaning poli blog.

“Political economy most commonly refers to interdisciplinary studies drawing upon economics, law, and political science in explaining how political institutions, the political environment, and the economic system â€” capitalist, socialist, mixed â€” influence each other. When narrowly construed, it refers to applied topics in economics implicating public policy, such as monopoly, market protection, government fiscal policy,[2] and rent seeking.[3]”

Speaking of which roger, have you managed to work out the difference between before tax and after tax income yet? How about someone grabbing a beer that belongs to someone else as opposed to someone sneaking one bottle of wine at a time out to a car and doing it more than once?

Honestly, roger. You really do your utmost to make yourself an easy target. It’s not so much what you say – it’s more the astounding lack of knowledge you seem to have on what you’re talking about. It’s like you read the first line of anything anyone ever writes, figure out wether you agree with it or not based purely on wether it’s good or bad for any given political interests you support, and then jam your shoe in your mouth while you type on your keyboard.

Quite honestly if that’s the quality of insight and understanding someone with a Masters degree has then it’s highly suspect that anyone would actually pay for such an education.

Really, I know a lot of what you say has a point, but this? Of course they changed it, we have a right-wing govt. now. Shit happens. You are still going to survive through all this. We’ll just have to work a bit harder to give labour a strong majority next time.

ha ha, some funny digs going on. Nome though you illustrate the classic liberal leftie – too much intellect and not enough brains. It is quite a conundrum how high intelligence rarely lines up with a sense of how the world of humanity actually works.

Indeed, the learned piffle uni types should get their hands dirty in the real world. Who needs professors in a recession? Make them all work in the garden. Lew, you annoy me with your snide remarks and roger you are laughable.

You got it completely wrong SP. The big kick in the guts was administered by the nefarious Michael Cullen, who along with his boss Helen Clark, blatanly lied to the NZ people regarding the health of the economy.

Yes, the same Cullen and Clark who didn’t say a word about the hole in ACC accounts. Fortunately, the toxic duo have been rightfully retired to the Opposition benches, where they can inflict little damage!

The ACC accounts are one of those things that a government has to deal with all of the time. It may be the burgeoning health sector, a spike in kids going to schools impacting on the school system, etc

A prudent government would not have over promised tax cuts on the election campaign in the way that the Nat’s did. The costs of their promises restricts their ability to handle the routine problems that crop up in government.

So now we have a NACT government that doesn’t appear to be dealing with being the government very well. So they’re trying to divert attention away from their incompetence.

The hapless rebels-without-a-clue delivered by the monopoly media’s stranglehold on the swinging voter’s political opinion are now busily ticking-off the headlines of their flimsy pre-election policy papers and struggling to digest the detail and repercussions.

And all the while the typhoon approaches: the whites of the new recruits’ eyes widening as they impotently chant “we will not let this happen!”

Have a good rest this Christmas: next year’s voyage over stormy waters with a green, press-ganged crew and a wildly swinging ideological compass could be interesting, to say the least.

Infused – If you like Ron Paul then I’m guessing you didn’t vote for National seeming as his opinions are miles away from them. He’s right wing but he has a strong libertarian streak something National completely lacks. He wants drugs legalised opposed the war in Iraq encourages civil disobedience when laws are unjust. Think of National’s position on the current police spying debacle and you see it’s compeltely at odds with Ron Paul and their position on drugs, and their former position on the Iraq war.

As a general rule I just assume that the folks doing the posts and many of the commentators on this blog are quite young. It is partly because of the bad grammar and spelling and, also, because I was young and dumb once myself. The fact that some of you have degrees is probably a sad indictment on our education system. However, those people who were aware of the coming collapse of our financial system should really have advised that nasty little chap Michael Cullen. Then, perhaps, we would not be in the cak to the same extent. I feel I must give a brickbat to the person who is now denigrating the National government regarding that nasty little scumbag who was spying on his so-called friends and even the girl he was bumping tummies with. This had been going on for quite some time and the previous Police minister was not only aware of this but could even have initiated it. I appreciate that saying bad things about our previous idiot government is considered bad form on this forum but really that was over the top.

John BT: You are really only guessing that the last Minister knew. But you do know for sure that the present Minister knows. Right? Since you desperately want to connect the Minister with these operational matters, let us see how well she handles it. (Not too hot so far.) As for your trivial remarks about grammar, be ware. Those who throw stones…. Your post above has 2 minor grammatical errors but I really don’t mind and I don’t really care.

John, surely you can provide a link then, to this being in the news ages ago. One that includes the detail that the police were running a full time paid informant spying on unions and the Green party. Those details are of course the story.

Or perhaps you can’t provide such a link. I don’t think you can, and further, I think you know you can’t.

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Farmers and investors will need to be patient with Fonterra Cooperative Group's overhaul of its business, which sometime-critic First NZ Capital analyst Arie Dekker says is moving in the right direction. ...

Armed police bedecked with flowers amid heightened national security following the Christchurch mosque attacks last Friday. Traditionazlly, New Zealand police are unarmed. Image: Sulzy/Twitter By RNZ News Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern today announced a New Zealand ban on all ...

The government’s language so far is imprecise and it must word its ban carefully to stand up against a ferocious lobby from pro-gun groups.New Zealand lawmakers will need to write the law banning semi-automatic weapons so that it can’t be ...

Twenty years ago – before Instagram – a game about documenting your every move was released. That game was Pokémon Snap.The year was 1999. Hilary Swank was playing Brandon Teena, something that would now absolutely not be allowed. Troye Sivan was basically a fetus, ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrew Dodd, Director of the Centre for Advancing Journalism, University of Melbourne When Judge Peter Kidd sentenced Cardinal George Pell last week, it was broadcast live on radio and television. It was ...

To mark the launch of the Helen Clark Foundation’s first report, its executive director Katherine Errington writes about New Zealand’s potential to become a ‘green’ hydrogen exporter.Much has been written about hydrogen of late, debating its place in the transition ...

Literal fake news is fuelling attempts to divide New Zealand’s religious communities, writes Aaron Hendry, an Auckland youth worker and Christian.In the wake of Friday’s horrific attack there is no doubt that New Zealand has changed. But perhaps one of ...

Political Roundup: Playing the Christchurch terrorism blame-game is dangerous by Dr Bryce Edwards Dr Bryce Edwards.Jacinda Ardern has led the way in how she’s responded to the Christchurch terrorist atrocity. The prime minister has emphasised the need to come ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jane Kotzmann, Lecturer in Law, Deakin University Your lipstick and foundation will be less likely to come at the expense of animal welfare, thanks to Commonwealth legislation that passed in recent weeks. ...

PGG Wrightson’s largest shareholder Alan Lai and his company Agria have been fined $220,000 and ordered to pay another $30,000 in costs by the High Court for breaching good character conditions imposed by the Overseas Investment Office. ...

The fifth work in Yona Lee’s In Transit series is currently exhibiting at Wellington’s City Gallery. Megan Dunn writes on the aspirations of the piece and how comfortably it sits in a gallery context.On a Sunday afternoon I opened my laptop and ...

New Zealand’s economy grew less than the central bank expected in the fourth quarter but economists don't expect the data to spur any change in the Reserve Bank's message at next week's policy review. ...

The sudden closure of Wellington’s Central Library was a shock to residents in the capital. Gem Wilder reflects on her love for the library and her hopes for its future.I received the news via the Wellington City Council twitter account, ...

Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Andrea Rassell, Nanoartist and creative-practice based researcher in Media, RMIT University As an experimental video-maker working at scales smaller than molecules, I surround myself in a variety of scientific visualisations. In reading ...

How dare our national airline continue to brand itself with Indigenous symbols while rejecting employees who wear those same symbols on their bodies, writes Leonie Pihama.As I sit at a conference on the island of Maui, I see tā moko ...

The removal of extremist content alone isn’t going to solve the problem of right-wing terrorism. Instead, we need to harness new technology to find such individuals early and intervene.Last week, 50 lives in Christchurch were lost in another act of ...

The PM has confirmed an inquiry will be held into the circumstances leading up to the Christchurch terrorist attacks. Alex Braae asks they will have to look into.In the wake of the terrorist attack in Christchurch, questions are being raised ...

Newsletter: New Zealand Politics Daily – March 21 2019Editor’s Note: Here below is a list of the main issues currently under discussion in New Zealand and links to media coverage. The Beehive and Parliament Buildings.Today’s contentChristchurch mosque shootings ...

The pending announcement of the Sunwolves’ exit from Super Rugby points to a collective agreement from the SANZAAR unions that the Nations Championship is the future. However, trickle-down economics may be a hard sell for their constituents. The dollars are ...

This Race Relations Day, we call on all New Zealanders to take time out of their day to reflect. To stand united in mourning with victims of Christchurch, write Pancha Narayanan president of Multicultural New Zealand, and Paul Hunt, the chief ...